Alabama Shakes Settles On SSL Live

As “the” southern rock buzz band of the last few years, Alabama Shakes has made a name for itself with rousing live shows, and the group put that skill to use this past summer, touring behind its latest release, Sound & Color. Mixing the band through its packed itinerary of festival dates and headlining shows, FOH and production engineer Shane Haase has been using a Solid State Logic Live L500 console at each stop.

Athens, AL (September 24, 2015)—As “the” southern rock buzz band of the last few years, Alabama Shakes has made a name for itself with rousing live shows, and the group put that skill to use this past summer, touring behind its latest release, Sound & Color. Mixing the band through its packed itinerary of festival dates and headlining shows, FOH and production engineer Shane Haase has been using a Solid State Logic Live L500 console at each stop.

The band opts for a raw sound on stage, selecting a variety of both modern and classic audio equipment. “We start with the microphones, which have been chosen to compliment the band’s overall dynamic and to express their voices in the most natural way,” says Haase, who has been touring professionally for the past decade. “From the microphones, it’s simple signal processing just like anything else: microphone to pre-amp, to dynamic control, time-based processing and out to the masses. But, we play both indoor and outdoor venues so the audio design facilities and flexibility like that of the SSL Live L500 are key to making the FOH mix sit right for every occasion. Between my two racks and the onboard tools that come with the L500, I am able to handle all of my processing with ease.”

Haase selected the SSL Live L500 after trying a variety of options. “I’d always been after a digital console that sounds rich at ALL dynamics and that is easy to work on once it’s set up and on the road,” he explains. “My time at the console has been more enjoyable and inspired since I started working with the L500. It is also incredibly flexible and offers a seemingly endless amount of options for any last minute changes and additions. Having a giant touch screen that actually stays visible in direct sunlight is a huge plus for outdoor events. The local I/O is extensive, allowing all kinds of outboard routing to make your event a full-on production. Not to mention that the clock on the console is phenomenal.”

These features have enabled Haase to be more imaginative with the signal path: “I can route my channels to offer new creative options for my mix,” he explains. “I can arrange a multi-band compressor in front of a limiter or another compressor, and then have the sound flow to a tape saturation plug-in or a mastering EQ. I can split the vocal and add distortion and some filters for particular songs. I can design and shape the sound any way I imagine it, to give the artist the sound they want.”